Owners of Lonely Hearts
by Otaku Samurai
Summary: She thought she loved Ichigo, but not until now is when she really found out who she loved...a shy Quincy by the name of Uryu Ishida. But, was an X Box, that was given to Ichigo by Urahara, really what brought them together?
1. Got Backbone? No

**Disclaimer: If I owned ****Bleach****, would I be writing fanfiction? I'm not Tite Kubo, nor a man. I'm Otaku Samurai!...eh, tragically, I don't own ****Bleach****. Just laundry detergent and some fabric softener. **

* * *

Orihime Inoue stared at his stoic face in the pale sunlight of the classroom window. The warm shine of the afternoon gave his skin a marvelous, attractive glow. The glossy black hair on his head gave off a lovely sheen. His deep, navy blue eyes were shielded by the reflected glare of his glasses from the sun, giving him an even _more _mysterious look than he normally showed.

She couldn't believe herself. She was finding _him_, Uryu Ishida _attractive_? _When did I start liking Uryu? _He had saved her countless times in the Soul Society (actually about every time) and were good friends him. He couldn't feel _that _way about her...he wouldn't. And besides, didn't she like Ichigo?

Before, maybe...but not now. Ichigo didn't love Orihime as he did Rukia. No, Orihime wasn't ignorant to see the way he looked and acted towards her. His determination to save her from her execution at the Soul Society. Orihime realized there was no chance for her to have been seen _that _way from him. Ichigo loved Rukia Kuchiki, the shinigami who gave all of her Death god powers to him to save his family...and almost got beheaded because of it.

But she wasn't thinking of that anymore. It came to her, as foolish as her drifting thoughts would always be, that she never really did love Ichigo Kurosaki. What was it again? She liked his scowl? Orihime loved him as a dear friend, companion and ally, but nothing else. That slot in her big, compassionate heart was now quickly replaced; by the one who saved her many times before, more than she could count. That adorable Quincy archer: Ishida Uryu.

There was no way Uryu could ever feel that way about her though. He probably thought of her like more of a nuisance than someone you could fall in "head-over-heels" love for.

Uryu could sense her gaze towards him. _Inoue Orihime_. The highly voluptuous beauty in the twelfth grade of Karakura Highschool. He looked across at her from the corner of his eye. Her warm gray ones were glued dreamily at him. _Dreamily? No, couldn't be. Just...just something on my face maybe..._ He cooly ran his hand over his forehead to his chin, keeping his trademark stoic composure. _Or, just daydreaming again._

Ishida Uryu had loved Inoue Orihime ever since he entered the Soul Society with her. No, maybe even before that. He didn't know. They were, in fact, in the same crafts club together. Maybe then. Halfway through their freshmen year? He mentally shrugged. But one thing he knew for sure, without a single shred of doubt, was that he truly loved her.

It was _real _love. Not the lecherous love other boys and perverts had for her. They just loved her...er, _assets_. Uryu gulped. _Y-yes, her assets_. He admitted that they _were _eye catchers, but they were not how she captivated his heart. He loved Orihime's mind, soul, and _then _body.

It rather intrigued him how she can daydream about the most random things, yet place number 3 in the class. He also, as funny as it may sound, loved her weird taste in food. Uryu mentally betted with himself, that if his father were to scientifically examine her thoughts and moves, he would be mentally _and_ physically driven out of his mind...and would he have loved to see that.

He had no chance to ever be with her though. Even though they were friends and allies, she was in a whole different class than him. Uryu really did have the worst luck, for Inoue Orihime's heart wasn't with him, and never would be. It was with a distinct orange-haired shinigami.

So, he made up his mind. He would just keep denying his feelings for her... _Like that will work_ ...and be happy nevertheless with whatever decisions she would make in the future to come.

But those damn holes she was piercing through him with those mesmerizing gray eyes of hers were tearing him apart! Uryu couldn't take it; he turned his head to face hers. They made eye contact.

Orihime locked her gaze with his. Her heart started to beat faster and faster as she soaked in Uryu's handsome features. The serious stare with the severe slant of his black eyebrows; his beautiful dark blue eyes behind the rectangular glass lenses he always would push up. Orihime's mesmerized look trailed down to his nose, then to his lips. Oh, his lips. How would they feel pressed against her own? Rough? Delicate? She imagined them delicate, just like the soft touch of his hands catching hers after many a clumsy fall.

Orihime looked back up to his navy blue eyes. She felt her face start to get warm as their gaze was locked once again. Uryu's face was starting to turn red as well. Orihime opened her mouth to say something but the words wouldn't come out. Then...

...the bell rang.

Uryu quickly turned back towards the window, heart beating fast, pushing up his glasses so no one could see his eyes. Layers of deep blush were painted on his now-not-so-stoic face. He found himself in a light sweat. _What just happened? Was she going to say something?_

Orihime immediately looked down at the pale tiles of the classroom floor. The rustle of papers and pencils could be heard all around. She could hear various voices calling out her name, but she didn't pay any heed. Gingery auburn bangs covered Orihime eyes, hiding her look of red embarrassment. She couldn't believe herself. What _would_ she have said? It was during class for goodness sake and she _would_ of probably spilled her guts to Uryu if words even came! Realization hit her like a kicked soccer ball flying towards your face.

_I love him. I love Uryu_.

* * *

After the bell rang everybody packed up their books and bags. Finally, it's the weekend! There was about one more week left of their senior year, and everybody was starting to get anxious...not to mention Uryu, who always was the calm, cool, and collected one.

He was still trying to figure out what had happened during last period. _Why was she staring at me?! She wouldn't of blushed if she was daydreaming!...Unless, unless she was thinking of Ichigo.. No! I mustn't think of that!_

Uryu mentally laughed at himself. He found that ever since he met Orihime, the beautiful princess she was, he had became nervous a lot more. And he meant _a lot _time he helped her with something, or rather, _saved _her from something, and she would say thank you, he would stutter in return and say something like: "I-it was n-nothing..." and then push his glasses up to hide his love-struck eyes. Oh, how he would like, no, _love_ to confess his feelings for her. Uryu thought about himself in disgust.

_I need to grow a backbone._

Of course, he needed one as strong as a 32 inch solid iron pole to handle rejection.

* * *

All of the students flocked out of the school doors and headed for home. Orihime currently had no plans, until Rukia came up to talk to her.

"Hey, Orihime!" Rukia called out.

"Oh, Rukia, how are you today?" Orihime greeted with a happy smile.

"Great, and you?"

"Wonderful! The sun is out, birds are singing, and the aliens haven't attacked the migration of the killer whale and seal population!"

Rukia smiled. Typical of Orihime to say something random like that. "Yes Orihime, the seals and killer whales _are_ alive and well!" she laughed. "Eh, anyways, everyone's going to Ichigo's house today. Urahara gave him this thing called an X Box and he wants to test it out with all of us."

Orihime wore a blank expression with her head cocked to the side. "What's an _X Box_?"

"Hmm..." she thought a moment, "it's like the Playstation 2, except it's from the U.S. Uhm...the controller sort of looks like the one from the DreamCast."

"Oh..." she looked back at her still slightly confused. "So everybody's going to be there? Even Chad?"

Rukia shook her head "yes".

Orihime's heart started to beat. "A-and Uryu?"

"We didn't get a chance to ask him...well, _Ichigo_ didn't...idiot..." she mumbled lowly, "so we were wondering if you could ask him for us. You do live close to him right?"

"Yes, about two blocks..."

"It's perfect then! We'll all meet up at his place at around 4 o'clock, alright?"

_I have to go to Uryu's house? _Orihime started daydreaming and spacing out...again. A

light blush was starting to form on her face as she started imaging the reflection of the glasses covering his beautiful eyes...then picturing his glossy hair in the warm sun...his lips pressed against hers...

"Orihime, _Orihime_!" Rukia snapped her fingers.

"Hmm, huh?" said daydreamer blinked.

"Right? 4 o'clock?"

"Oh...oh yes!" She slightly bowed and smiled at the black-haired bantam shinigami, still with a little red on her face. "For sure!"

They parted ways. One left, one right. Orihime walked about ten steps until Rukia called out her name and waved at her.

"Oh, and Orihime, I saw you staring at Uryu during class today! You like him don't you?"

"What?!" Orihime's blush turned deeper on her embarrassed face as Rukia turned back around. With a slightly smug grin, she kept walking to Ichigo's house.

_Uryu's gonna have one hell of a time!_

**

* * *

**

Okay, how was that? Good?

_**Bad?**_** I'm still a fanfiction n00b, so go easy on me! First story posted by the way. A review would be nice, along with criticism. Constructive criticism, not flames. Flames hurt the heart...and your fingers if you hold the match too long. Thank you all you IshiHime authors! You give me inspiration! ****Also, how does the X Box thing sound? I think it sounded a little stupid, but it went well with the plot...I guess...(that's my excuse). Tell me what you guys think of it!**


	2. Hell Shower

**Aww man this is so awesome!! (Jeez, I'm such a n00b...) I'm posting chapter two! Woot! Eh, you guys, well, the ones who hopefully read the previous chapter (I have no idea why you would be skipping to chapter two), has seen the disclaimer. Yeah, so this means I won't be writing them from here on out. Okay? Are you going to sue me now or somethin'? I would hope not, I blow all of my money on freaking manga already...uh, here's the next chapter.**

* * *

Uryu walked up the small white concrete steps to his apartment. Unlocking the door, he walked in and set his school bag on the small table near the hall leading to his room. He then made his way to the couch. Uryu slowly sat down and took a long, deep sigh.

He had a small apartment, well, big enough for one person, maybe two. A little kitchen and livingroom with a hallway leading to the bedroom and bathroom. The place was acutely furnished, not too flamboyant, yet not too austere. As one might describe it, a lot like Uryu's personality...mysterious...and quiet. For he had no TV. He didn't need one, nor did he care for one. All he needed was his books and sewing kit for entertainment. Wow. What _entertainment_!

Uryu sighed again and laid his head down on one of the couch pillows. He removed his glasses and put a hand over his dark blue eyes. _Such an eventful day. _His mind drifted off to Orihime...once again...

She was the angel from heaven that came to bring him life, yet was slowly killing him at the same exact time. _Oh how ironic... _Uryu took a well-earned deep breath.

He pictured Orihime's face. Her gray eyes and cute nose. Always smiling...or maybe even faking it...was she ever lonely like him? No, he brushed that though aside. She had so many friends, she couldn't ever be lonely. He drifted back to her physical appearance.

Her lusciously curved body, one of a woman. She was wearing a thin light-blue shirt, with a darker blue skirt on her hips, lengthened at her shins. He would soak in her beautiful features. _Orihime's_ beautiful features.

She was walking up to him as he captured her in his strong embrace. Placing his rugged hands on her waist, she nuzzled her face into his shirt; he inhaled the sweet scent of her gingery auburn hair to his nose. Orihime looked up to his face and put a warm hand on his cheek. He didn't even blush... Never again with her safe in his arms and heart. Her gray eyes locked with Uryu's navy ones and her mouth silently phrased a three word sentence.

Slightly smiling, he whispered like a lover. "Hmm? I didn't hear you."

With a lovely smile, she said, "I love you." And with that, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her soft lips to his...

Uryu's shot open. _No! No! No, dammit!! _He had to stop thinking of her, _and_ to stop the emotional torture! He quickly jumped up and put the rectangular lenses on his face. Turning towards the hall to his right, he walked to the bathroom. He made his way to the shower and turned the cold metal faucet left to warm. Lukewarm water flowed from the showerhead and landed into the tub.

Uryu glared an icy glare that could compete with the frosty coolness of his eyes. _Damned fantasies! Damned love!! _He clenched his teeth. _Why did love hurt so damned much?_

Well _that _was a stupid question, especially for the one who placed first in the class for all four years of highschool. It was because the person he loved, the very person he would give his worthless life for, was in love with another man...well, so _he_ thought.

He hated the deplorable feeling of being in competition with Ichigo for Orihime's love. Ichigo was like the handsome knight in a fairytale and Orihime was like the damsel in distress being saved by said orange-haired knight. No, she wasn't a "damsel in distress". She could fight. She could defend. _She could heal_. Even if she didn't want to kill, she was still a worthy opponent, and she could kick your sorry ass if she really wanted to.

Uryu was like the sapless tree in the background of the byzantine fairytale. Nobody really cared for it, and it was always longing for a lifelong companionship.

He slightly twitched. _The hell? I'm analogizing_ _myself to a tree..._

_A lonely tree._

Uttering a sad sigh, Uryu hung a towel on the rack near the bathroom door and stripped himself of his clothes. Then, taking his glasses off and setting them near the sink, he stepped into the shower. _Well, at least this might wash off some of my troubles for the day..._

Little did he know...

"AHHH!! Dammit!!" he screeched. "Son of a-"

...the water was hot.

* * *

Orihime looked up at the clock on her wall. It was 3:28 in the afternoon.

After her meeting with Rukia, she quickly went home to change out of her school clothes and got ready for her and Uryu's rendevous at Ichigo's house. After she finished, she had some spare time, so she plopped on her couch and turned on the television. And, to Orihime's displeasure, nothing of interest was on. She was really hoping one of her favorite shows Hare Guu was on to kill time. She slightly frowned. Orihime really liked that anime. It was as random as she was.

So she just turned it off and thought about her school day. Which then drifted off to the subject of art. Then to cross-country skiing. Then to movie actors. Then to samurai, ninja, chocolate, football, frying pans, sushi, skyscrapers, pine needles, and _then_ to the final matter of the Quincy Archer. Uryu Ishida, one of the last Quincy Archers.

Her heart started to beat. She had to go to his apartment. _Uryu's_ apartment. In a few minutes. _Uryu's apartment in a few minutes..._

And that's when she looked up at her clock.

_Well, might as well get an early start. _Orihime got up headed to the door. Picking up her jacket, she made sure she had her keys and walked out. Locking the door, she made her way up the street. Uryu was just two-and-a-half blocks north. So she would be going north, then south. The Kurosaki house was south of her and Uryu.

Orihime smiled. She was going to see the inside of Uryu's house for the first time! She had always sort of wondered what it would look like. He was always such a mystery. There was probably a lot of books. Orihime knew he found more entertainment in reading than in the electronic media. He was so smart.

And Uryu was so very great at sewing! Other people might find it was weird that a guy liked to sew, but Orihime thought it a wondrous skill to have! To be adept enough to fix and make your own clothes and repair things! In crafts club, he always made the more beautiful pieces than anybody else. He was also very good at first aid. He probably got that skill from his father.

He was pretty discreet about his father. Ryuuken Ishida. It was obvious that he hated the man. She wished she knew why. Orihime wanted to know everything about Uryu. She had known him for almost four years already, and she only knew a handful of things about him. _He _is _such a mystery! _

She could see the image of him in her mind. His black hair would be lightly swaying in the wind, and she would look up into his blue eyes. _He is so tall. _Uryu would be blushing as he looked at her. _Always blushing._ Orihime found it so cute when Uryu blushed. It was normally after he had helped her with something, and he would stammer: I-it...it was nothing. He would then attempt to push his glasses up, trying to hide his eyes from her.

Orihime smiled to herself. She had found something that not everybody in the world could find. And that was true lo-

She stopped her train of thought. She didn't even know if he felt _that way _about her...or for that matter, if Uryu held _any _feelings for her except as an ally and friend. The muscles in Orihime's face loosened and her smile slowly disappeared. _What if he loves someone else and not me?_ _What if he doesn't love me as I love him? _What if! _What if!! _

Orihime stopped again, but this time it was her legs. She was at the base step of Uryu's apartment. Orihime's heart started to beat again and her previous thoughts were instantly eradicated from her mind. She stood there staring at the door. Orihime anxiously laughed to herself. _W-when did I start getting so nervous? _She couldn't believe it. Before, she would of been fine to do it, to walk into an unknown territory. But this was different. It was the unknown territory of the one man she had fell in love with.

To momentarily change the subject, she wondered what time it was. It took about thirteen minutes from her house to Uryu's, so she figured it was about 3:40. It would then take them another twenty minutes to get to Ichigo's. Yeah, they would probably be there at around 4:05 p.m.

Well, _if _Uryu was going. Orihime still didn't even take one step up the small flight yet. Taking a nervous gulp, she walked up the five concrete steps and knocked on his door.

* * *

Uryu turned the shower off and stepped out of the tub. Water dripped off of his body as he grabbed the towel and wiped his wet face. After wrapping it around his waist he picked up his fogged glasses. Uryu wiped the cloudy lenses and put them on. Looking into the bathroom mirror, he scowled at his very perturbed reflection.

His skin was a spicy red color on account of the water from the "shower as hot as hell". Turning back around he gave a death glare to the poor shower.

"Quincy Archer hates you." he spat out at it and walked out to get dressed.

Uryu made his way to his room and picked out his apparel. A dull yellow zip-up shirt with a pocket on its left breast, and a pair of semi-tight gray jeans. He put the jeans on first and then picked up the shirt and put them on. _Hmm, I haven't wore this in a while... _Uryu could barely zip the yellow material up to his chest.

He concluded that either he grew some muscle, or got fat. Uryu rose an eyebrow. _Yeah, like I've gotten fat. _He was as skinny as that sapless tree he was comparing himself too earlier.

The Quincy removed the zip-up from his body and went back into the bathroom to look at his reflection again. Standing in front of the mirror, he rose up his right arm and flexed. Uryu was greatly taken aback by the results. _Wow. I look...good. _He build wasn't bulky (obviously), but his muscles were lean and solid. He slightly turned around to look at his back. He flexed again. Hard muscles ripped.

Uryu half smiled. _Well, one slightly good thing about shinigami and hollows, they sure do give you a great workout. Not to mention shooting a bow every time one of them comes around..._

His attention was drawn out by the sound of knuckles tapping on his front door.

**

* * *

**

Hmm, there we go, chapter two. I hope I made you laugh in some parts. I say "hope" a lot don't I? Well, some of _my_ hopes have been squelched because I just found out that Hagi from Blood dies in the tragic end. That sucks. All of the damn characters I like _die_ or get seriously hurt. If you read my profile, I have a growing list of them. Thank you for reading this semi-poor piece of literature...leave a comment if you wish. Would be greatly appreciated.


	3. To Ichigo's!

**Cool. I finally finished chapter 3. The update wasn't long right? I did give you people two chapters when I first posted, so work with me. I just graduated from eighth grade, and have honors classes for just about **_**everything**_**. English is my best subject though (heh, apparently). Yay! Highschool! Boo! Fresh meat! I can't _wait_ till I get trash-canned. But, major havoc8 says I can't die yet until I finish my fanfic. Then I can. What nice friends I have.**

**Anyway, here's the newly installed chapter 3 of Owners of Lonely Hearts.**

* * *

Uryu's amazed attention about his figure was drawn away from the mirror and hooked to the sound of fair knuckles tapping the front door. Who would come to his apartment? Who would _want to?! _

He walked out of the bathroom and down through the hall to the livingroom. Uryu looked over at the little clock in the kitchen to his right. The small hand was pointed towards the 3 and the big hand was a little over the in between mark of the 7 and 8.

It was 3:39. He turned his head to the door.

Another knock. This time it seemed a bit shy. Uryu hesitated, then scowled to himself. _Just why the hell _am I _hesitating? It's just someone knocking on my door..._

Perceptibly, Uryu wasn't used to people coming and visiting his small apartment. Nobody ever did, and _if _they did, it was either a mistake, someone asking directions, or just a heartless prank by some juvenile minors, resulting with some random guy and a very dilapidated "To Go" van parked on the corner of his street with about twenty-three extra large onion, artichoke heart, eggplant, jalapeno and spinach pizzas with fishpaste sauce in the guys' dirty hands.

Disgusted with himself yet again (not to mention the choice pizza toppings...ugh), Uryu walked to the door and twisted the frigid brass knob.

* * *

"Orihime!" he gasped. She was the _last _person he expected to see standing on his doorstep. "W-what brings you here?"

Well, she _was_ going to tell him that Rukia invited them both to go to Ichigo's house to play this thing called an "X Box", but Orihime was found speechless at the sight of him. Uryu was only wearing a pair of jeans; he had his shirt off, but his nicely toned torso _wasn't _what she was gawking at...well, _most _of it anyway.

"Umm, well..." she muttered lightly with her head a little tilted to the left.

His once pale skin was really, really... Red? His arms, his face, chest, his stomach. Even his feet were red!

Uryu wore a look of utter confusion. Nervous anxiety chewed on his heart like the fleas on a homeless, scrappy dog. _Why is she just standing there?... Looking at me_ _like that? _His face then gave off the look of a very awkward situation. Apparently, there was _a lot _of staring today.

"O-Orihime?"

Uryu saw the corners of her mouth curl slightly up into a grin as she placed a hand on her delectable lips. Orihime started laughing like there was no tomorrow.

_The expression on Uryu's face, the color of his skin!_

"Uryu!" she giggled like a school girl. "You look so silly! What happened to your body? It's so red!"

His navy eyes dilated and his heart almost stopped. "M-my _what?!_"

Uryu slowly looked down at his chest. Red, _bare _skin. He blinked, looked up at her, blinked again, and pulled the door wider open in a very stoic manner. She hindered the giddy laughs as he spoke:

"You may come in, if you'd like."

Uryu stepped aside like a gentleman and let Orihime in. And as soon as she removed her shoes and stepped on the soft carpet, Orihime immediately looked around his apartment. Somehow, it looked just how she suspected the insides would look like.

There was a lot of blue.

She smiled to herself. _I knew he liked blue._

His couch was a midnight blue, and the carpet of the apartment was just a little lighter than his eyes. Orihime absolutely loved his eyes. Uryu had this mysterious coolness to them; so restrained and serious. And yet, once you get to know him, you could see the held compassion and care in them. Love.

Uryu's eyes were just like his personality. He had two sides. One, somber, so unemotionally icy and over protective, while the other was sweet, understanding, and the... she smiled ...always blushing side. His face was almost always full of sweet rosiness when he was near her.

To Orihime's traveling mind, he was like Ichigo in an interesting way. Uryu had the will, no, the _need_ to protect someone. And it was mostly her. At the Soul Society, Uryu was always the one to catch her hand and save her from any danger, wherever and whenever. To come to think about it, he was very protective of her safety. No, is overprotective the word? _Was_ he overprotective of her well-being and refuge? Well, _if _he was, she didn't care. Orihime liked it, the warm feeling of being protected by him and that very cool Quincy bow.

"...right back. You may take a seat if you want." Uryu offered to her before walking away into the hallway.

"Hmm?" Orihime asked as she was drawn back to the real world. He didn't answer as she saw a glimpse of him turn to enter his room. _Take a seat? _

She looked at the couch and headed towards it.

* * *

As Uryu headed to his room, he could of swore he almost died...of embarrassment. _Sh-she saw me without my shirt!... She's at my apartment...sitting on the couch! _

His heart was beating at an abnormally fast pace. No wonder when Uryu went to the doctors for a medical exam a month ago, the doctor said his blood pressure had risen greatly over the past three to four years. It was a good thing though that Uryu could sort of fake the look of his embarrassment... But if his face wasn't red as red as it was because of that damn shower, a deeper blush would of probably given him away.

Uryu picked up the dull yellow zip up shirt and frowned at the material, all the while hoping that at least some of the other shirts he had, except the ones for school, fit his figure. Uryu slipped the clothes hanger that was on his bed through it and put it back into the closet.

Fortunately, he could always re-stitch the shirt to fit his liking, or he could reuse the shirt to make something else. Besides, sewing supplies and materials were expensive these days, especially for customizing everything you wore with zippers!

"...ah, here we go." Uryu said to himself. He unhooked the apparel of his choice from the hanger.

Meanwhile, Orihime was having a lot o fun in his living room.

* * *

Okay, now Orihime liked his house from the beginning. But now that she reached the couch, she seemed to love it. One, it was like his eyes, which we _all _know she loved; two, it was _extremely _bouncy. Yep, just leave it to Orihime to have the most fun in the bluest part of the world.

As soon as she sat on that midnight velvet, she could of swore she jumped up a foot or two. And when her..._bottom _hit the blue cloth and springs again, she instantly got a big, _toothy _smile. She stood up, jumped down, laughed, and stood up again.

_I love Uryu's couch!_

Orihime jumped back down again.

* * *

Adjusting his glasses, he walked out of the hall into the fun-filled area of utter happiness and joy. "O-Orihime?!" he squeaked. Uryu wore another confused look, then the look of a what-the-_hell?!_ moment.

She was jumping...er, _bouncing? _On his couch? His eyes were wide.

"Uryu! You're back!"

_She was jumping on my couch... _Uryu's heart accelerated like a Ferrari in an illegal street race. What he saw, well, he couldn't believe he was seeing. _H-her b-breasts...up...d-down... _Well, by the time he finished getting his shirt on, Uryu's facial skin had _regressed_ back to its original tone: pale. But when he saw Orihime and her well known..._assets_, his skin _progressed _back to its previous color: red. He gulped out of anxiety.

Upon seeing him, Orihime stood up, with hands behind her back, a hand around one of her wrists. She was smiling at him.

Ah, her smile. Her smile could bring Uryu to his knees. He was instantly brought out of his state of blushing and nervousness.

"So, Orihime," Uryu asked again, looking at her. "Why exactly are you here?"

"Oh!...oh yes!" she put a finger on her chin and hand on her waist. "Rukia invited us both to go to Ichigo's house to play some video games on this console thing. An... _X Box_ or so it's called. It's from the States. Everyone will be there. Rukia, Chad and Ichigo of course."

He raised an eyebrow. _Video games? _Inwardly Uryu smirked. _My father never has approved of me playing video games..._

"Are...will you go with me?" she inquired to him in an innocuous tone.

He didn't say anything. _Do you _want_ me to go with you?_

After the lack of response, Orihime looked down a little. "Y-you don't have to go if you don't want to. I know you don't like playing video games and those things...that you'd rather be alone, Uryu..." Uryu could sense that every word she spoke was drenched in cheerless disappointment.

She looked up at him and then smiled her normal happy smile. "I guess I should get going. We, I mean, _I _have to be there by four..."

Uryu escorted Orihime across the dark blue carpet to the door. He opened it for her and she walked out onto the fifth concrete step. Uryu could tell in her body language that she was unhappy. But Orihime kept her smile on anyway.

She walked down the steps of his apartment, then turned around to face him one last time. He looked into her eyes. Hurt. And a smile. Always a smile.

"I'll see you later then, Uryu!" Orihime waved at him, then turned her back and started walking away.

_It_ was killing him to watch her leave. He didn't want her to. He didn't want Orihime to leave him. _It_ was killing him to see her sad. _It_ was killing him to see that forced smile. _She_ was killing him.

"Wait, Orihime!" Uryu called out to her.

She stopped walking and turned to look at him, wondering what was wrong. She seemed surprised that he was calling her.

"I-I'll come!" he went inside quickly put his shoes on and picked up his coat and keys. Locking the door, he ran to her side.

Orihime smiled at him. A real smile. He smiled back...

A real smile.

_To come to think about it, Uryu has a really nice smile..._

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I tried to make this one funny...if you didn't laugh I have failed you as a writer. Thanks for the nice reviews and alerts yet again!

**I also just realized that the song _Welcome to the Black Parade _by MCR goes good with Uryu, _What Hurts the Most _by Rascal Flatts goes good with the overall IshiHime pairing, and _High Anxiety _by The Suicide Machines goes great with good ole Ishida-kun_ and _my story! (Wow. That tells a lot about what I listen to when I write...).** Please review! Would be greatly appreciated! **See you next chapter!**


	4. No Love, No Nintendo

**I felt so fried after writing this chapter. Ugh... I don't even think I can move my left arm, much alone breathe. Wow. Well I did type this at around twelve in the morning. But, thanks to a little urge by Toushiro-chan from a review much earlier, I finished it. Thanks. I really needed that, my drive as a writer has been sort of dry lately. This chapter was a little hard to type too as I attempted to make this chapter longer for the sanity of others. Lol. I don't own Nintendo.**

**This is for Toushiro-Chan.**

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He yawned out of pure dull interest.

Orihime and Uryu had been at Ichigo's house for, hell, he had already lost track. About two and a half hours, he mentally calculated. Well, one thing the Quincy Archer knew for sure, it was absolutely boring.

"Grrr..."

Uryu looked over at Ichigo with a bored expression, then smirked to himself. _No, I take that back. _

It was highly amusing to watch Ichigo get pissed off.

Strawberry had been playing the X Box for about the whole time the two were there...and was still stuck on the first level. "DAMMIT ALL TO HELL!!"

Veins were popping out of the orange-haired, once substitute shinigami's head.

"THAT BASTARD URAHARA GIVING ME THIS DAMN THING! I CAN'T EVEN BEAT THE FIRST DAMN LEVEL!!"

_Heh. Very pissed._

The Quincy prodigy named Ishida Uryu had already figured the whole game out just by looking at it for a short time. Jump, shoot, and reload the (big-ass) guns. Nothing really to it once you look past the flashy pixels, blue grenade explosions and the redder than a strawberry Ichigo.

"Well, why don't you play cooperative with someone then?" Uryu asked with simper obviously hinted in his tone of voice.

Ichigo scowled at the black-haired teenager. He turned his body to lock eyes with Rukia and gave the bantam soul reaper a _you_-know-what-the-hell-happened look. "Because of _Rukia _I can't-"

He stopped his mouth as Rukia then in return gave him a don't-say-anything-with-_me_-in-it-or-I'll-throw-the-X Box-that-you-can't-even-play-at-you look. Otherwise known as a death glare, customized to her liking. Sorry to say for Ichigo.

Well, unknown to Orihime, Chad, and Uryu's knowledge prior to their "happy" meeting on that sunny Friday after-school, Ichigo and Rukia had a little argument (what's new?). It involved throwing things.

Like X Box controllers.

Out the window.

Yeah, you read that three worded sentence right, _out the window._

To make a two thousand five hundred and a quarter page angsty romance novel short, Rukia, standing near the window in Ichigo's room, threw the black controller at Ichigo, who was near the door. Thankful that his face didn't collide with it, he caught the controller and then threw it back at her...but missed because of Rukia's height, which was 144 centimeters, and the X Box controller flew over her head and out the window; then onto the street, almost hitting a random bicyclist. _Almost_ being the key word.

"Uh, because of _me_, we can't play co-op..." Ichigo was mentally cursing the other soul reaper and his own height. He had another thirty centimeters on her.

Orihime looked at him. "Why's it your fault?" she asked out of the blue. He had been playing the same level so many times that she appeared slightly confused and didn't know what was happening in the game. Of course there wasn't much happening at the time except constant Spartan death.

Ichigo nervously looked at Rukia upon hearing knuckles crack from behind. She had her head tilted forward in a way, covering her very _hostile_ eyes and her very _hostile _grin in a very _hostile_ shadow on her very _hostile _face.

"Ah, Orihime..." he answered looking back at her nervously, "I, uh, broke the controller."

"O-oh...okay..."

Uryu was watching this whole exchange with a simper smirk. He wanted to commend Orihime for asking that question; Rukia seemed to have that "bad-ass, orange-haired punk soul reaper" Ichigo Kurosaki wrapped around her small finger. And Uryu found that even _more _hilarious than watching Ichigo play a un-educational game and turn redder than the strawberry he was over it for not beating the first level.

Too bad for Uryu's enjoyment, Ichigo caught that smirk on his face.

"What the hell are _you _laughin' at four-eyes?!" he barked with a scowl and indiscreet irritation.

"Nothing, Kurosaki." Uryu retorted in a very cool manner looking at him and pushing up his glasses agleam. After all, he _was_ an expert in talking icy and dramatic. "Just you losing your _already_ short temper over menial electronics that, tragically, even _you _can't operate."

(Ooh, harsh. Now it was on!)

"Oh _yeah_?" Ichigo snarled back with more veins on his forehead and more emphasis in his voice. "What about _you_, you scrawny smart-ass?! I doubt you could do any better than me!"

Ichigo was taunting him.

He laughed. They watched. Uryu rose an eyebrow.

"Yes in fact... _And the three-year-old _up the street."

"WHAT?!"

"I'm right in front of your face, Kurosaki. You should of heard me; or is your _hearing _as good as your sorry game play? Honestly, I thought you were smarter and more capable at accomplishing simple tasks than that."

Uryu was mocking him.

He laughed. They watched. Ichigo exploded.

"YOU BASTARD SHOW-OFF!!" Strawberry's rupture of extremely high vociferation echoed the whole house. Some people on the street were looking over their shoulder wondering simultaneously: _What the heck was that?_

"What difficulty are you playing exactly? I already forgot, you've been on the same level so long. _Easy_ I suspect?" he scoffed.

Orihime, who had a blank look on her face, turned to talk to the quiet Chad, whom at the moment, almost everyone was oblivious to.

"So, Chad, having some fun...at least?" she asked with a friendly smile over the mockfest of the two bickering hollow slayers.

Chad looked at her through his dark wavy hair. The gentle (but with one hell of a powerful punch) giant of a twelfth grader answered her in a deep voice, "Mmmm. It's interesting watching Ichigo and Uryu fight-"

"Indeed it is!" Rukia chirped in the now starting conversation. Orihime and Chad both looked at her. It was obvious she was really enjoying the feud between the Soul Reaper and Quincy. Evidently, Uryu wasn't the only one who found enjoyment in seeing Ichigo's buttons pushed to their plastic and/or metal limits. But of course just like everyone else, he didn't like it when he himself was brought into it.

And for some reason, both Orihime and Chad had the feeling that she was the start of the whole fight between Uryu and Ichigo.

Or at least something along that road of the broken X Box controller.

The three of them were sitting on the couch of Ichigo's livingroom. Chad was lounging in silent tranquillity on the right, Rukia was watching the "fight" while sitting on the left, and Orihime was placed in the middle with her head tilted in a blank stare. Ichigo _was_ sitting on the floor playing Halo 2, which he epigrammatically sucked at, and for Uryu, he was sitting in an armchair near the corner of the room, a little next to Orihime, to his enjoyment.

...Until they started arguing. Ichigo was up in Uryu's face shouting at him; Uryu was just sitting there giving him a chilly stare, nevertheless retorting back insults in a stoical manner when his turn was given by the orange-haired shinigami.

"Oh yeah, then? Why don't _you _take your turn and see if you can show me up?!" Ichigo then replaced the normal scowl he had with a self-satisfied smirk.

Everything stopped. The minuscule conversation between the three hollow slayers on the couch was put to a silence, as all eyes were on the black-haired young man with rectangular glasses. The said black-haired young man with rectangular glasses frowned in high disapproval.

_Damn you Ichigo for putting me on the spot!_

Uryu was really not liking how things were turning out. For one, he held great disdain for being stared at by multiple people and being drawn attention to. Two, _even more_ disdain for video games and electronics of the sort. He looked from one face to another. Ichigo's smirk, Chad's somber stare, Rukia's scandalously interested smile, and Orihime's concerned look of "now what will you do next, Uryu?".

"Hmm, Quincy? What do you say?"

He looked back at Ichigo.

"Up for it? I know that _you_ of all people wouldn't turn down a challenge. Your 'Pride of the Quincy' or whatever the hell you call it. Or are you just afraid of losing face in front of everyone?"

Uryu scowled.

At fruitful times like these, which were very sparse indeed, he greatly loathed how his father didn't let him do things like this when he was younger. He remembered some years back he had seen an advertisement for a Super Nintendo. Oh how did it interest him. The games that everyone else were playing on it.

Eventually, the younger Uryu had asked his father Ryuuken about it.

* * *

"_No, don't waste your time with inferior things like video games." he told him cooly as he put down the book of the human anatomy he was reading. "They don't give or educate anything to you, only the putrefaction the brain and temporary enjoyment." _

_The man stared over at the boy holding the cut-out magazine ad in his hands. His face held the expression of apparent disgust._

"_Besides, even if I had the slightest interest in purchasing this item for you, I wouldn't pay for it. Food on the table means more to me than those damned fantasies of yours."_

_The young Uryu looked down at the ground as tears dared to flow down his cheeks. The boy clenched his teeth together. He wasn't going to cry. The sight of the dark green sea of carpet flooded his slurred sight as he gripped the paper in his hand stronger, almost to the point of his knuckles turning white, as he heard the "crunch" of the ruffled paper. His glasses slid down his nose as he squeezed his eyes shut. He _wasn't _going to cry._

"_I don't know where you ever got the idea that I would even consider this, Uryu. Would you rather be like those ignorant fools you go to school with, wasting away their minds when they should be studying, getting a good education, one which I pay my salary for you?" Ryuuken frowned a little more. "Look up and answer me."_

_With a little hesitation, the black-haired boy opened his eyes, then looked up and stared at the book in his fathers hand. "N-no..." his voice faltered as he scanned the brown hardback cover with his blue, navy colored eyes._

"_What was that? I didn't hear you. Speak clearly and look me in the eyes!"_

_His gaze wavered at the textbook for what seemed like aeons. He couldn't bring himself to look at him, his own father._

"_Uryu!"_

I am _not _going to cry!

_And with a sudden burst of something unknown to him, confidence, or more likely even wounded pride, the boy looked at him. A pair of glasses locked its icy gleam with the others tormented ones. He gulped._

"_N-no! No, I won't be like my other classmates! I'll be educated! I won't play video games! I'll just... I'll just study and read and try to make you proud of me!!" with that last outburst from him, Uryu turned and trudged away from his father. The anger, the anguish, and the pain of not feeling loved by your own father was written all over Uryu's flustered and red face. _

"_Sometimes, Uryu..." Ryuuken said when the hurt boy was slightly within earshot, "when I look at you, into those hopeless eyes of yours, all I see is your grandfather." _

_As soon as he mentioned this from behind his back, Uryu ripped the advertisement in half._

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Maybe, if his father hadn't been so tight and strict with him as a kid, showing such few signs of love whatsoever, would he still be the same person? Would he still be friends and allies with them? Rukia? Chad? That orange-haired bastard who wouldn't shut the hell up and leave him alone?

Would he still be in love with _her_?...

And at very fruitful times like these, which were _very _sparse indeed, the Quincy Archer, named Ishida Uryu, really loathed with the upmost abhorrence that anyone could summon those very questions he would ask his very being at present times like these. But, the memories of him and his tortured conversations and lectures with his father were what he loathed the most.

_No wonder I'm so into sewing._

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Please review! Would be greatly appreciated! Thank you all again for reading, reviewing, and adding my humble, semi-poor piece of literature to your favorites/alerts. And if you do review (I'm not telling you that you have to), tell me if this chapter sucked, didn't, was OoC, short, had typos, or sucked. Or even if there were any quotes you liked. Thanks again to all of you!


	5. Oh Great, Now To Urahara's

**Uhm...heh heh....eh, so...I got a delayed, random almost-3-year prolonged shot of inspiration. That's a long time for writer's block, huh? Sorry people, I had to work on ****She Will Be Loved****...*insert list of excuses*. To think, I'm a Junior now, and I started this in Eighth grade. Amazing...**

**Oh yeah, this kinda sucks in the writing department, since I was an uber n00b back in the day...but still, this fic holds a special place in my heart, so I must continue :D**

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_Recap: *pissed-off Ichigo and an emo "my dad hates everything I do OMIGAH Super Nintendo" Ishida flashback*_

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_No wonder I'm so into sewing._

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"So what'll it be ya four-eyed smart-ass?!" Ichigo towered over Uryu in the armchair he was so ponderously lounging in as he reflected over his partially broken childhood. "I know _you _of all people couldn't say 'no' to a challenge."

The orange-haired shinigami wore a very sadistic smile on his smug face, his left eye in a mild diabolic twitch. The others watching were all thinking to themselves the same exact question: why was Ichigo was taking a lame video game so seriously? Well, besides Rukia—she thought it was actually kind of funny to see Strawberry get so amazingly intense over something so amazingly stupid. Not that him ever overreacting would be a first...

Uryu's attention was snapped back to the present as he looked up at Ichigo's flushed face, and his tense words cut through his crowded mind. He then replied in the smartest, most intelligent response anybody could come up with on the spot:

"_Huh?_"

His ears pricked, and he heard gasps of shock emit from around the livingroom. The oblivious Quincy quickly glanced from the corner of his eye to his friends around the room, gapingly staring at him. Orihime's gray eyes were wide, Chad's mouth was ever-so-slightly open, and Rukia rose an eyebrow. Since when did Uryu Ishida, the smartest guy in their grade and possibly one the smartest guys ever, answer with a 'Huh'? And in such an uneducated _tone?_ Was the _apocalypse coming?_ They all gulped, anticipating the moment flaming meteors would crash through the ceiling.

Ichigo's smile morphed even bigger, and he just omitted an insanely diabolic laugh through his smirking mouth; his teeth flashed a white sneering grin at him. Uryu was starting to get nervous again, as he felt everyone's eyes shoot flaming blue arrows, penetrating into his body. Damn, it sucked being stared at like that.

"The hell's the matter, Ishida? Ya afraid to lose in front of everybody?" Ichigo's brown eyes leered, combusting with an intense brown flame. "Are you just tying to stall so you can get out of me kickin' yer ass?!"

Uryu, with his senses back to normal and not thinking of his father, questioned Ichigo's overall sanity. He knew that he was somewhat off his rocker, but not this much to get so hyped up over something like _this_.

_The hell is his problem?_

It would different if Ichigo had challenged him to a physical duel, but this? His black eyebrows tilted down and he frowned.

"Earlier, I thought you said that you could beat me, then you said a...what was it? A three-year-old? You talk big, Ishida, but I don't think that you can back it up."

Uryu didn't know why he didn't respond to that. He could kick Kurosaki's ass any day, any week, any time. So why wasn't he talking back? He was a great visual learner (_actually, he was great at everything_), and Uryu already knew how to play the game—that wretched Halo 2—so why wasn't he accepting Ichigo's contest of skill? Dammit all, his mind raced in frenzied thought.

Looking at the Quincy's contrite contemplation, Ichigo's smirk turned into a scowl.

"Tch. Never mind, I guess I was wrong..."

The bystanders intently watched this exchange. For one, they didn't understand why Ichigo was taking things so seriously—after all, it was only a _game_. And secondly, they were asking themselves the same exact question Uryu had mentally asked himself. Why wasn't he responding back? All of them, Rukia (more-or-less), Chad, and Orihime, had total faith in the Quincy. Ichigo royally sucked at the game, at this they were witnesses, and they _knew _that he could beat him.

Orihime looked worried. She knew as much as anybody that Uryu Ishida didn't like video games. But, he didn't seem like the kind of guy to turn down a challenge, just like Ichigo had said.

_Does he hate these things so much...?_

The more Ichigo ran his stupid mouth, the more Uryu got closer and closer to an answer. He was still trying to obey his father. Even though he hated his father, he was still living in his—Ryuuken's—shadow. He didn't deserve to be called 'father', but Uryu was still tying to live up to what he wanted. It was part of this pride, his honor. Even if he hated his father—it was part of him to not disobey.

Minus the facts that he _did _become a Quincy despite what Ryuuken had said.

"Whatever. Quincies are cowards and weaklings anyway." Ichigo spat at him. Uryu flinched, anger starting to rise in his chest. "Your Quincy Pride is nothing. Just a bunch of crap—_bows_ are for the cowardly. _Swords_ are for the kick-ass."

Oh, to hell with his father. This was now _more _than personal.

Uryu stood up, with his strong jaw clenched. His basilisk gaze pierced into Ichigo's soul, and the room became quiet (with the exception of the death screams of Spartans and Covenant brutes in the background). He thought fast, shielding his pride, and his cold voice sliced through the silence.

"I'll take you on, Kurosaki. However, I don't think you'd want your _own _foolish shinigami pride stomped on by just one controller. Would you rather I kick your ass as you watch helplessly, or would you like to go one-on-one? Any other way, I know I'll win."

_Kurosaki, you annoying bastard..._

Uryu's black eyebrows tilted down in vexation. And at this, Ichigo smirked. "Competitive" was an understatement.

"You Quincy bastard, like hell I'm gonna watch _you _play!" Ichigo turned around, and looked at the group sitting behind him, and pointed his thumb conceitedly over his back. "Ok you guys, get the hell up—we're goin' to Hat 'n Clogs to get another damn controller so I can kick his ass."

And just like that, they were up and out of the house, on their way to Urahara's shop. Within an approximate five minutes, the crew of hollow slayers left Ichigo's in a mild stride. It was about a forty-five minute walk to Urahara's, and Ichigo couldn't _wait _to get that X Box controller—it was absolutely _mandatory _that he beat Uryu at Halo 2, and no objections would alter his already irrationalized mind. Consequently, within the same five minutes, the air had already turned immediately awkward.

Well, to say the least, "awkward" was an understatement. (There were many understatements today, Uryu concluded tiredly.)

Ichigo trudged along, leading the group. As well, said group followed—and they all thought that Ichigo had finally lost the last set of marbles in his crazed mind. It was as it was absolute to win, and if he didn't, his ego would be crushed, strangled, stabbed and then caught on fire.

_Mentally _hurt. It was almost suicidal.

Exasperated, Uryu glanced over at the back of Ichigo's orange head.

_That soul reaper fool _is_ mental—as if he has a _complex _or something. If only my damned pride didn't get in the way I wouldn't be in this mess...and..._

He couldn't bear losing face in front of Orihime—even if it was just a competition regarding "menial electronics". He was the best—he was first. Rarely, if none, he never lost. True, she never actually seen him fight—well, except for that one soul reaper in the Soul Society so long ago—but other than that, she had never seen him formally bloodied, bruised...wait—? What the hell? Playing video games was completely _different _from _actually _fighting—virtual reality hardly compared to actual reality, where when one was stabbed all the way through the chest, there was no popup window asking "restart?".

You didn't restart.

You freaking died.

Uryu then glanced at Orihime.

She was walking along carefree next to Rukia (in fact, Uryu, Chad, Orihime and her were in a diamond formation, with Uryu in the back and Chad in the front, ultimately with Ichigo leading). They were conversing about something, but he paid no heed as to what was said as he watched her face shine as she smiled.

Oh, she was beautiful. The wind softly blew, blowing her hair in wispy circles around her. Indeed, he loved her—and it amazed him how easily it had slipped his mind on how much he loved her with his little argument with Ichigo. But, he'd show Ichigo who was the best. Even if he had to prove it with winning a damned game.

_The hell... _

Uryu couldn't help but feel embarrassed at the challenge. It _wasn't _a challenge. It was just...stupid. Yeah right, like there were things to actually prove while playing video games. Oh damn, life was horrible when one had to establish their worth through virtual reality. It was almost depressing. But, Uryu was ensnared inside the very trap he had tried to avoid. Oh well. He couldn't help things, but just move accordingly to them.

He then glanced over at the monotonous Chad, who didn't say a word. Somewhat contented that nobody wanted to talk to him, he looked over at Ichigo, who was obviously in his own little "I'm gonna PWN ur ass" world. Orihime and Rukia were speaking in hushed whispers, and to Uryu, it looked rather shifty.

"Well, today is enjoyable." And Rukia's voice wasn't too short of a snicker.

"Yeah...I guess..." It was Orihime's embattled voice. Uryu couldn't blame the poor girl for having to feel that way after hours of watching nothing but a pissed-off Ichigo. It annoyed him knowing that, and besides, time wasn't meant to be wasted. "Most of it is...fun."

"Yes it is...it's amazing how Ichigo blows things to such proportions. Why can't the idiot take a hint sometimes and actually shut up...?"

"Um...actually...I don't know?" Uryu couldn't help but smile at her. Even though he couldn't see her face, he thought it was cute when she was confused. However messed up that sounded. Orihime was just cute overall, and he couldn't deny that.

"Hm...though Ichigo didn't seem to hold off on the insults." She almost grinned, and it seemed that she had some ulterior motive under her sleeve. The bantam soul reaper could look innocent, but she had a conniving side that couldn't be overlooked. But, the conversation seemed potentially harmless, so his attention phased out.

"Oh, Ichigo isn't very nice, but that's his personality. You can't really change that in a person...though I don't know why he called Uryu 'scrawny'."

The Quincy immediately honed in on Rukia and Orihime's conversation as his name was so inauspiciously mentioned.

"Why is that?" It seemed as if she was reaching the point she wanted.

"Because he's not scrawny at all! I've seen him with his shirt off before...actually, earlier today, and he was ripped! He has like, this six pack, and defined pectorals..."

Uryu's heart basically stopped, and his jaw clenched in complete and utter shock—his dark navy blue eyes widened in disbelief. He had thought that he could forget that tragic moment in his life, and he even half expected Orihime to have forgotten already. Even _Chad _looked back to glance at Orihime as the words left her mouth. Time stopped, and he would have preferred that the floodgates of hell were released instead.

Ding-ding-ding! Rukia hit her mark. She grinned evilly at Uryu, and for a moment, he held disdain for her. Everyone, apparently, was just trying to make his life miserable. In Rukia's complex mind, mingling with the humans in their human world was fun. However, there were obvious clues that a certain Quincy Archer had the hots for a certain gingery auburn haired girl...

"So you saw him_ half naked_?" Rukia had to choke down a laugh.

Uryu choked at the word "naked".

Orihime blushed, making a sideways glance at Uryu, and locked eyes with him. There were no ways to explain all of the contrite feelings she had felt, and her mouth moved before her thought process finished. "Yes—"

Rukia rose an eyebrow at Uryu as she turned her head over to him. "Well now, is this true?"

Ichigo's ears finally pricked to the uncomfortable conversation.

"_What?!_"

Uryu inwardly groaned, yet his reflexes almost backfired. He wanted to die. First Orihime sees him with his shirt off, and now she inadvertently blabbed that she did see him, and that he had a "six pack" and was "ripped" and had "defined pectorals". Oh, why didn't someone just kill him now? And now even _Ichigo_ was thrown into this!

Ichigo stopped walking, and pivoted around with eyes wide in disbelief. Yet, a weight was lifted off of Uryu's shoulders as he realized that they had finally reached Urahara's, cutting anymore of the tragicomically torturous conversation short. He thanked the gods that the forty-five minutes passed so quickly.

"She saw you with your shirt off? What the hell were you doing, flexing in the mirror or something?"

_Wow, dumb-ass, you actually hit that one on the mark._

"Damn, Uryu, it's just one surprise after another. I can't wait 'til I beat your ass."

"Oh, shut up Kurosaki and get your controller so I can leave."

Fool.

"Whatever, you weirdo bastard...I don't want to imagine you with your shirt off anyway. Freak..."

(Though, Orihime couldn't help but imagine Uryu after he had apparently finished his shower—with red skin, and abs agleam.)

Ichigo laughed—he actually seemed somewhat sane—and one by one, they entered Urahara's Shoten with Uryu anticipating the unknown perils to come. Closing the sliding door behind him, he sighed in helpless exasperation.

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**Oh my that was horrible. I wrote half of this right after I posted chapter 4, and then like...added onto it yesterday. Lawl. Well, it was fun to write something so..."free". This fic is my liberation!—it ultimately fails! Honestly, my writing has gotten significantly better since this, but whatever. Alrighty then, **please review**! **Would be greatly appreciated**! Please point out typos and all that crap...I think some characters were sorta **_**out of character**_**, and it turned kinda weird, but it's all good. I'm getting back into the swing of things. **

**By the way, you all can hate me if you want to for not updating is so long. Though, I wish I'd get more reviews for ****SWBL**** (my writing is way better) than this fic, but hey, I can dream. **


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